Electronic components are handled by a wide variety of different electronic component handlers. These different handlers include, but are not limited to, products sold by Electro Scientific Industries, of Portland Oreg., the assignee of the present patent application. Electro Scientific Industries sells a variety of electronic component handlers including, but not limited to, a high volume MLCC tester sold as the model No. 3300, a chip array tester sold as the model No. 3400, a visual test system sold as the model No. 6650, and a chip array terminator sold as the model No. 753.
One such electronic component testing machine is described in prior art U.S. Pat. No. 5,842,579 entitled Electrical Circuit Component Handler. With reference to FIG. 2, included as FIG. 1 herein, there is shown an overall pictorial view of the electrical circuit component handler of U.S. Pat. No. 5,842,579 the entirety of which is incorporated herein by reference. FIG. 1 illustrates a handler 10 having support structure 14, an inclined planar surface 18, a turntable 20, a test plate 24 having a plurality of component test apertures 26 and a component loading area 28. A plurality of test accessories thereon including a loading frame 34, a contactor assembly 30 and a plurality of test modules 32. In operation, electronic components are fed into handler 10 through a hopper 44 and funnel 46 and are passed through load frame 34. The components to be tested are individually drawn into test apertures or seats 26 found on a test plate 24. The plurality of test apertures 26 are typically arranged in concentric rings that are continuous about test plate 20.
With more specific reference to loading frame 34, loading frame 34 includes a plurality of arcuate seating fences 40. Arcuate fences 40 guide and allow the electronic components to be collected adjacent the fences 40. Test plate 24 indexes in a clockwise direction toward test modules 32. Once in position, the electronic components are tested by test modules 32. Once testing is completed on each of the components, test plate 24 continues to index and the electronic component components are then withdrawn from the component handler 10.
With continued reference to U.S. Pat. No. 5,842,579, and referring to FIG. 3 herein, difficulties have been experienced in properly positioning the electronic components 50 in test apertures 26 in order to properly test the components. If the radially inward surfaces 70 of the seating fences 40, referred to herein as the load track functional surfaces, are not accurately aligned with the radially outer edge of the test apertures 26, the test components 50 may rest on a ledge 90 or portion of the test plate top surface 80 without dropping down into the test aperture 26 as is needed. To increase the probability of accurate location of the load track functional surface 70 with respect to the test apertures 26, very close tolerances need to be maintained which adds complexity and cost to the manufacturer and maintenance of the handler 10.
Other applications of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art when the following description of the best mode contemplated for practicing the invention is read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.